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Jaques-Louis Reverdin

1842 – 1929

Swiss surgeon (skin graft pioneer), lepidopterist and butterfly researcher

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About Jaques-Louis Reverdin

Lived 1842 – 1929 (aged 86). Jaques-Louis Reverdin was a Swiss surgeon, naturalist, entomologist and lepidopterist.

Jaques-Louis Reverdin (28 August 1842 – 9 January 1929) was a Swiss surgeon who was a native of Cologny.

He studied at the University of Paris, becoming an interne of hospitals in 1865. In 1869 he became an assistant to Jean Casimir Félix Guyon (1831–1920) in the surgical department at the Hôpital Necker in Paris. Afterwards he moved to Geneva, where he eventually became chief surgeon at the Hôpital Cantonal de Geneve, and a professor at the University of Geneva.

In 1869, Reverdin performed the first "fresh skin" allograft. The eponymous "Reverdin graft", also known as a "pinch graft", is a procedure for removing tiny pieces of skin from a healthy area of the body and seeding them in a location that needs to be covered. His name is also associated with a specialized surgical instrument known as a "Reverdin needle".

In 1882, with his cousin and assistant Auguste Reverdin (1848–1908), he observed that myxedema occurred as a delayed complication when the thyroid gland is surgically removed. He documented his findings in an article titled Note sur vingt-deux opérations de goitre. On 13 September 1882 he presented his observations to the Medical Society of Geneva.

He retired in 1910 and dedicated himself to the study of butterflies. The Reverdin's blue butterfly is named after him.

He died in Pregny on 9 January 1929.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Employers
University of Geneva
Also known as
Reverdin, Jaques Louis, Jaques Louis Reverdin, J. L. Reverdin, Jacques Louis Reverdin

People in Jaques-Louis Reverdin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jaques-Louis Reverdin's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jaques-Louis Reverdin?

Swiss surgeon (skin graft pioneer), lepidopterist and butterfly researcher (1842-1929)

When was Jaques-Louis Reverdin born?

Jaques-Louis Reverdin was born on 28 August 1842 in Cologny.

When did Jaques-Louis Reverdin die?

Jaques-Louis Reverdin died on 9 January 1929 in Pregny-Chambésy.

What was Jaques-Louis Reverdin's occupation?

Jaques-Louis Reverdin was a surgeon, naturalist, entomologist and lepidopterist.

What nationality was Jaques-Louis Reverdin?

Jaques-Louis Reverdin was Swiss.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jaques-Louis Reverdin

· Wikidata: Q3157998

· DBpedia: Jaques-Louis Reverdin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jaques-Louis Reverdin. https://biography.guide/jaques-louis-reverdin/

MLA: "Jaques-Louis Reverdin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jaques-louis-reverdin/.

Chicago: "Jaques-Louis Reverdin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jaques-louis-reverdin/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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